1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to video signal processing apparatuses, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for controlling an operation of a video signal processing apparatus during a recording operation to automatically override a user-activated display function of the apparatus in response to activation of the recording function to thereby provide an output signal in a predetermined format to ensure that the recording is performed with the predetermined format.
2. Background Information
Modern video apparatuses such as television sets often provide users with various user-activated display functions to enhance their viewing experiences. For example, certain video apparatuses provide user-activated display functions such as video sizing functions (e.g., stretch, zoom, normal, etc.), which effectively alter the size of the picture and enable the user to display a desired portion of the image on the display device. Other functions such as a program guide, browser, picture-in-picture (PIP), etc. may also be included among the functions offered by certain video apparatuses. These other functions may be controlled to include the video image in an inset portion of the overall picture.
While such functions are advantageous to users in many respects, they may also adversely affect another important function of the video apparatus, namely the recording function. In particular, if such a display function of a video apparatus is activated during video recording, the resultant recording may be adversely affected because the output signal provided to the recording device, whether included within the video apparatus or connected as an external recording device, may be in the format according to the user-activated display function, which may not be desired format for recording. If the video apparatus is connected to an external recording device, the output signal is generally coupled to the recording device via an output terminal and the recording device is controlled through a control line, for example an IR blaster.
In either case, the activation of the user-activated display function may result in an undesirable recording. For example, a video sizing function which horizontally and/or vertically elongates video images may be utilized to fit video images having an aspect ratio of 4:3 to a screen having an aspect ratio of 16:9. However, if such a function is turned on during video recording, a portion of the original video content will be missing (i.e., cropped) from the resultant recording. This may also occur, for example, if the zoom mode had been activated.
Moreover, if the program guide or browser functions are activated during video recording, no video images or video images having a smaller size than the original video format may be present in the resultant recording. Similarly, if the PIP function is activated during video recording, the resultant recording may include both a main and secondary video images, which may also be undesirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method for controlling a video signal processing apparatus, which provides for such user-activated display functions, during recording functions to avoid the foregoing problems and thereby ensure recording the video signal according to a predetermined format.